Longest chapter I have ever written. Enjoy! Also hit a 150 followers. Thanks for the support!
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Gareth's POV
As I woke up, I found out that my skin and had readjusted in my face so I no longer looked like Godzilla. I needed to prepare for the banquet. I did not have to go since I found this new disguise but it would be better if I could get some close connections with the Grand Duke and I could possibly gain an upper hand if he tries to rope me into his family.
First things first I needed to get some form of formal clothing so I went outside and asked around till I reached the tailor. A rather expensive one.
I walk in and the store itself was rather empty. Guess not many people come here often. Even the seamstress that should be at the counter was missing. Walking in further, you could hear snipping of scissors and some talk.
"You look great, My Lady. You will be the complete focus of everyone at your party"
"Make sure the clothing is very bright. I want to be seen from a mile away"
Seems like a noble's daughter is getting some clothes for a party. Wait ..a noble's daughter.. dresses..party...It's the duke's daughter!. I could hear them getting ready to leave so I ran to the counter to not get mixed up in some cliche misunderstood scenario. Pretending to be waiting at the counter, I glanced at her. Seemed like a normal girl around the age of 9 or 10 with bright red and bright red hair, but my track record with nobility has not been the best.
She glanced at me then looked away as if uninterested until she saw the ring on my finger. Her eyes lit up and walked over to me.
"Hello. I am Charlotte Rose" she said while doing a curtsy.
"Um. Pleasure. I am Clyde..um Clyde Stone" I completely forgot to create a fake last name..so I went with the first thing that came into my mind. Good thing, I looked outside or else she would have the pleasure of meeting Clyde Counter.
"Where did you get that ring from? The workmanship is from the Harth Kingdom correct?" She asked me. She seemed rather knowledgeable about jewelry, perhaps was a collector of sorts?
"Um yes. It was given to me by a friend" I told her.
"Might I see it?" She asked. I handed it to her. The formations should be invisible to anyone who does not posses enough knowledge about it.
"Very interesting. very shiny and gold too!.. made by Harth family...has their insignia in it too...did you get it from them?"
"Not exactly. It was given to me by a guard that used to work there" I lied to her, even I did not know how believable that lie was.
"You are really lucky! The Harth family never gives out these and... there is said to a mana formation in here too..our formation expert would love to see this! How much?"
"It's not for sale, Madam" I tried telling her. If the formations in the ring is discovered accidently it would greatly power the Rose family than it already is (Author's Note: Has [High Gravity] [High Healing] and [Medium Time])
"Come on everything has a price!. 2000 gold?"
"No." I flat out told her and grabbed the ring back before she could pull it back.
As I reached out to her, and luckily I was fast enough for her to notice the [Medium Time] formation in there. If she was holding on to it should should have been seeing everything in the world moving 20% slower.
"Please! Please! Even when my father asked the Princess she would not give one of those rings up! 5000 gold for it!" She begged screaming like a child and causing a bit of commotion. Luckily no one aside from the seamstress was in the shop at time.
"I really really really want one! It's very very rare you know! The Harth King said there were only 30 in existence!"
"No!" I told her placing the ring on my finger. I need to make sure no one else gets their hand on this ring and possibly switch the formations to a cheaper looking one.
She started pouting and there were tears coming out of her eyes. Not wanting to deal with that, I turned to the seamstress and asked "Do you happen to have a formal attire that would fit me?"
The seamstress was startled and said "Oh yes! Right this way we need take measurements first"
I followed her ignoring the pouting girl in the front of the counter. I really have a bad track record with nobility.
The seamstress taking me into the room began taking measurements when finnaly done she told me the cost
"That will be 20 gold. You have to pay 10 now and when I have it done you can pay the rest"
Taking out the sufficient amount, I handed it to her. She gave me a card of my purchase and told me it would be done. By the time I walked out Charlotte already left with visible tear stains on the floor. I walked back to the room at the inn and fell asleep.
As I opened my eyes I was back in the white room with by two best friends. Old man and the unnamed Goddess.
"Yo. Nice job on the killing that lunatic. Really thought you would get your ass handed to you in that one" The Goddess said as she laughed.
Ignoring her I asked "Why call me so late?"
The Goddess decided to answer "Gods have a messed up time sense. You are lucky, Peritia did not take a nap or else you would be talking to him in the next decade. One of the odd things after you hit a bill--"
"A bill? what"
"Nothing" She said while waving her hands. Guess even as a God, women won't reveal their ages.
"I have some quick questions before we begin this."
"Ask away" Peritia responded.
"What's the deal with the Rose family?"
"Hmm.. this world is based upon knowledge equalling power. This world could not wait for lucky breaks like Issac Newton, Darwin or Einstein of your world to be born so I hid various scriptures containing knowledge about various thing deep in tombs or dungeons. None of them go higher than blue stage though" He explained.
That makes more sense..
"So there are families in this world that have power that should not exist in this time period" I asked him to make sure.
"That is correct" He told me calmly.
"Anywhooo. Another calamity is coming. Seems like the cultists are trying to summon the 'Great one' even we have no idea of who the fuck that is. But it sounds bad though"
"Already?" I just solved one of them two days ago.
"Yea..luckilyyyy for you it seems to be near Rhieg Kingdom. There humans there call it the 'Ancient Dungeon' and thats where we suspect the next wave is going to hit. This one is going to be much harder so might want to get some help! So get to it partner!" She started waving at me.
"Come on. Don't try to pull a fast one on me" I told her while smirking.
"Ah shucks. Really thought that would work. Fineee.. What do you want this time?" She asked me irritated.
We ended up in a heated argument over my request and eventually Peritia forced her to give in.
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Duke's POV
"He has a Harth ring you say?" I asked the servant who brought in another report.
"Yes. We saw him leave his room without his mask and he went to the tailor so he is likely going to attend the banquet. In the shop he met with Miss Rose and she noticed he had a Harth ring on. She seemed rather upset that the boy did not give the ring to her" The servant concluded. Hmph that bastard dares to refuse my daughter? Who does he think he is! No matter..he would soon join us anyway.
"Hmm. That King is rather stingy with those rings and would not give it to anyone easily..why does this boy have one?"
"The reports state that he was travelling with the Princess and ultimately was the one who healed her. Perhaps he caught her fancy"
"Since the boy did not sell the ring he likely knows its value. It's a shame that the Harth Kingdom got their hands on the mana scriptures coupled with their control magic... I am sure we can somehow get the boy to hand the ring over.." I talked to myself for a bit while writing stuff down on a piece of paper "Go to the Royal Palace and ask one of the magicians to forge up a contract with these details" I handed him piece of paper that had various terms and conditions written on it. "Make sure you add the ring into it too" I commented.
As the servant got ready to leave I asked him one last question "What family did he say he was from"
"Stone, my lord. I searched through the records and could only find one family with that name but they seemed to have disappeared a long time ago"
"Likely a false name. If that's the case than Clyde is likely a false one too. If the boy is to serve our family I need to make sure he has no strong connections to Harth. Find someone to draw him and send some people over there to find any evidence of his past"
With that said the servant left to carry out the orders.
The banquet was much more than just a simple birthday party for my beloved daughter. It would serve to be a place of meeting with that boy and the King. The King is still rather adamant of not starting a war with Harth and wants to keep peace with them. A very noble cause of course except it was done in blatant attempt to weaken our family. If there are no wars than the soldiers under our rule are worthless plus wars are an excellent place to build up support and sentiment. How many soldiers would be under our thumb if their lives were saved by us?
I needed a way to make sure this war happens when their is a conflict to be exploited and the Princess coming over for a diplomatic case is not helpful. I sat down on my chair to begin thinking of plans..I can't even take over this damned Kingdom due to the promise my Grandfather made with the old King.
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Gareth's POV
The day of the banquet is here. It was nearing evening and was nearing the time the invitation said. I already picked up my formal attire it was a tunic like dress that was black and gold the symbol for Rhieg's Royalty. Sensing a pattern with gold here. I had already moved the 3 main formations into another ring and destroyed the ones on the one the King gave to me. I wanted to place more formations on there but remembering the incident with the pen I opted not to. (Author's Note: The pen turned to ash due to overuse of formations). I also needed to get a gift, I was not much of a fan of the Rose family so I went with a cup I found in the treasury of the King. It was filled with jewels and gold which I was sure Charlotte will love. However tha cup had a formation of [Mid Endorphin] in it. Does not matter if its wine or piss. Once the formation activates and the content is drank the drinker will begin to feel addiction to it. It's like instant pleasure in a cup. Buy one for 99.99$ with four easy installments of 9.99$! It was also a [Dissociate Formation] so only I could activate it. If things go haywire in that party, I can still hold the daughter hostage. Since Charlotte is the only daughter of the Rose family, I am sure the Duke would care for her wellbeing. Part of my conscious did not want to hold a innocent girl hostage but a family does not get to be Arch Duke's status by being nice and if their terms are too underhanded I might have to refuse.
I strode to the location described in the location. It was a massive mansion, with various floors the outside decorated with many statues of fighters of horses and even had one of an old man. Walking up the statues the old man's statue read [Varaeth Rose the founder of the Rose Family. God of Healing]. Seems like titles are easy to get in this place.
After looking around the place, I decided to join in the entrance where the guards stopped me.
"Invitation only" the guards told me in a strict manner.
I pulled out the invitation card I got. The guards looked at it making sure it was not a fraud, checked me for any weapons then let me in. After following the various people walking in, I made my way to to ballroom. It was massive with chandeliers lighting up the whole room. Their were many tables set up with black cloth on top of it. There was a massive amount of food here with everything from chicken to bears.
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"Ladies and Gents, I present to you the honorary personnel of this party, Lady Charlotte Rose" a loud voice said out followed by claps, cheers and even some whistle arose from the crowd as Charlotte walked down from the stairs. You could see her eyes flittering about from the amount of gifts people have gotten her. Guess the whole Kingdom knows her obsession with shiny things.
The first thing she did was run towards the gift while the other members of the party came to her and congratulated her on her birthday. My gift was not a part of the stack as I wanted to make sure she drank it before I met with the Duke. She looked around the gift stack and had a disappointed look on her face but it brightened up when she saw me. She ran to me as she ignored the guests who were trying to talk to her. She glanced around my hand and saw the Harth ring and impatiently asked "You are giving it to me for my birthday aren't you?!" Seems like she really wanted the ring.
"No not exactly" She seemed disheartened by response but perked up when I said "But I have something even better" I pulled out the cup and handed it to her.
She looked at it and seemed excited about it but dimmed down and said "How it this better?" in a low voice..
"The cup is said to be used by the very Gods themselves. No matter what you put in there it will taste amazing" I said like coaxing a child. Well, I technically was.
"Gods? Like Great Grandfather?" She asked.
"Um sure. Yea" I responded hesitantly. The people in this world don't take the Gods seriously at all. My condolences, Peritia.
She poured some water into the cup while I acvaited the formation. As she drank her eyes grew wider and wider as she chugged down the drink. Wiping off her face while panting "This..is really....gooood!". Well looks like that worked. She ran off with the cup to fill it with various liquids and I made sure to keep a steady supply of mana going through the formation.
As she was doing that, the same servant who gave me the invitation came up to me and whispered "The Duke would like to meet you personally in his quarters" I nodded back and followed him keeping an eye on Charlotte.
He lead to me to a door and opened it and inside there were three men one sitting down while the other two standing up. One of the them was clearly the duke and the other two guards. Something tells me this is going to go well. Before I entered I casted [Mid Sound] into my ears.
I walked in and the servant closed the door behind me and sat down in front of him.
"Let me introduce myself, I am Vareth Rose the Third. The Arch Duke of the Rose family. Perhaps you would like to hear a bit of our family before we continue this chat?" He said as he poured wine into two glasses. Yea, definitely not drinking that. I politely refused the drink while nodding.
"My grandfather was Vareth Rose the First a upright man and an excellent adventurer. He became an adventurer to help save the world and protect its resident from harm. He eventually ventured into a dungeon and discovered lost knowledge of the ancients. Healing magic. With that magic he saved thousands upon thousands and taught his children the knowledge required to do so. He once healed the King's wife when she was sick so the King granted him a title of nobility. With the magic running through our family we together saved thousands and thousands of lives..and so we rose to power to Arch Duke so we may spread more and more healing to the populace. Now for all my life I thought my father was the only one with such power except you posses the same power. Find it interesting no?"
Excellent speech and history. I would have stood up and applauded if I was a dumbass. I did not know much about the Grandfather and he might have saved thousands and the Rose family likely saved many too except they were not as noble as they sounded. They heavily charged anyone who wanted healing essentially extorting them for magic that could be performed for free. They could have easily spread the knowledge and help millions but they chose to keep it. I can't talk too much as I would have likely done the same thing.
"Yes, it is rather interesting" I told him with a smile on my face.
"Would you mind telling me your story?" He asked me with one of the worst smiles I have seen in my life.
"I am not at the mercy to say, I am afraid" I responded to his query.
"No matter, no matter. Your history is your own" He waved his hand and one of the guards rolled out a large piece of paper in front of me. The paper seemed ordinary except it was teeming with mana large amounts of it. As if someone found a river of it and soaked the paper in.
"I would like to formally invite you to become a part of our family so we may make use of our wondrous magic to help many more. It comes with many benefits to you as well" He told me like con-artist would.
I picked up the parchment and began reading it. I laughed inside of how horrible the terms were for who ever signed it. 'I will assist the signer in achieving a rank of nobility' 'Assist' implying there was not any indication that it would actually succeed. Not to mention 'You shall have access to the treasury of the Rose family' implying that I could likely go in but never be able to take anything out as for the things I would have to give up. 'You must share all knowledge you posses with the Rose family and no one else' that was all it took for me to deny this entire thing except it gets much worse. 'You shall work and follow the lead of the Duke for 10 years' which would turn me into nothing more than a slave for them. What did they think I was? Some guy who you can tell a nice backstory, promise wealth and riches to and get you to sign off?
Keeping up my professionalism I said "I cannot accept these terms"
He seemed disheartened and almost shocked that someone would refuse these wonderful terms.
"Now now Mr. Stone, you should not look a gift horse in the mouth" He said while sipping on his wine.
"You cannot buy a racehorse for the price of a donkey, Mr. Rose" I quipped back
"Its an ill wind that blows nobody any good" He kept on his facade.
"A good thing is soon snatched up. Mr Rose, I am sure there are better terms for me" I been in too many English classes to lose this.
"No man is the worse for knowing the worst of himself. It would be best if you joined us Mr. Stone" He said with a hint of threat in his words not willing to budge.
"If you lie down with dogs, you will end up with fleas" I responded back to him.
"I think it's best if we let sleeping dogs lie. Mr Stone" He said while the guards slowly put their hands on their hilt.
"Fortune favors the brave. Mr Rose"
"Pleasures are transient, honors are immortal. Think of the people you could help" He glared at me almost ready to bellow out a command.
(Author's Note: Check bottom if you want to know what is being said)
Ignoring the danger present as I heard something interesting coming near this room. Timing my next words as I leaned in closer and whispered "There is no honor among thieves". He looked enraged at my statement but before he could order his guards there was banging on the door with a child like scream outside "Father! Father! Is Clyde in there?!". Vareth's blood lust completely dissipated once he heard Charlotte's voice. The guards also backed down sensing their Lord's wrath going away.
"Come in, dear" she burst through the door as the servant tried to hold her back "I am sorry. My Lord, but she is adamant about meeting Mr. Stone"
I smirked at Vareth as I went to Charlotte "What's wrong?" I said clearly knowing her answer. The reason I was not scared to be in this room is because I shut off the formation in the cup as soon as I read the terms of the parchment which essentially cut off the flow of endorphin in the cup giving her withdrawal symptoms. Since her only clue to the cup itself was me she had no other choice but to look for me and come here. Luckily, I grasped her childish personality correctly or else this would have ended up in a bloodbath. Not for me though.
"The cuppp! It's not working!!!" She was crying. I almost felt bad but considering I was almost seconds away from being in a fight it passes.
"Come. I know a special way to make it work" She stopped crying after I said that.
"Rwelly?" She asked with up pleading eyes. I nodded and walked out the room.
"Also one last thing, Mr Vereth. The chain is as strong as the weakest link" I told him as Charlotte followed after grasping my hand wanting to make sure that I made the cup work.
"Bastard if you hurt her!" He yelled at me in agner. I simply glanced back "Don't worry, I wouldn't dare hurt her" I left with that threat in tow. I really would not harm the little girl as long as Vareth kept his distance and he understood that too. All he could do was grit his teeth.
I took her to the balcony where no one could see me and since Vareth did not want his daughter hurt he would not let anyone enter either. I poured some water into the cup with [Low Water] activated the formation to let her drink. As she did so I placed my hand on her head casting [Mid Memory] erasing any memory I could find relating the pleasure of the cup. I stopped the formation and looked at Charlotte.
"Huh? Why am I here?" She looked around and asked me.
"Don't you remember? You wanted to have a drink while looking at the stars."
"I did?" She looked confused. She eventually saw the cup in her hand and believed it. Little naive. Guess the Duke wanted to keep his daughter innocent.
"Thanks for drinking with me. I guess even though I can't remember it." As she said that she ran off back into the party.
Smiling at the little child. I casted [High Gravity] on myself reducing my weight and jumped off the balcony to head to the where the second calamity should be. I wanted to heed the Goddess words about finding companions for it but I wanted to see at least see a glimpse of it first.
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"Now now Mr. Stone, you should not look a gift horse in the mouth" He said while sipping on his wine.
(This contract should be a gift for you. Don't look for faults in it)
"You cannot buy a racehorse for the price of a donkey, Mr. Rose" I quipped back
(This is too cheap to buy me)
"Its an ill wind that blows nobody any good" He kept on his facade.
(Something that does no one good is a bad thing)
"A good thing is soon snatched up. Mr Rose, I am sure there are better terms for me" I been in too many English classes to lose this.
(If this was a good thing you would not even have to tell me)
"No man is the worse for knowing the worst of himself. It would be best if you joined us Mr. Stone" He said with a hint of threat in his words not willing to budge.
(Understand the situation and have some self awareness it would be good for you)
"If you lie down with dogs, you will end up with fleas" I responded back to him.
(If I join you it will just hurt me)
"I think it's best if we let sleeping dogs lie. Mr Stone" He said while the guards slowly put their hands on their hilt.
(Don't cause trouble)
"Fortune favors the brave. Mr Rose"
(You can have good luck/wealth if you are brave)
"Pleasures are transient, honors are immortal. Think of the people you could help" He glared at me almost ready to bellow out a command.
(If you don't want the money/title. Think of the honor you can get by saving people)
Ignoring the danger present as I heard something interesting coming near this room. Timing my next words as I leaned in closer and whispered "There is no honor among thieves"
(We are both thieves and will try to harm each other given the chance)
"Also one last thing, Mr Vereth. The chain is as strong as the weakest link"
(You cannot be strong if you have your daughter as a weakness)